Saturday, October 31, 2015

The Royal Game



Newbury Park Panthers
(4-4, 1-0 Camino League)
at
Royal Highlanders
(3-5, 0-1 Camino League)



Game Two of the three game Camino League season saw the Panthers on the road one last time to play the Highlanders on their recently revamped, Field Turf stadium.

After another up and down week of practice, it was anyone's guess as to how this one would turn out.

 This week's Captains were #8 Ian Albaeck,
#68 Nick Krause, #15 Bryce Simmons
and #9 Ruben Soria

Ian Albaeck also had the honor
of carrying out the Big Hammer

 Scrum

Noah Clark had 87 yards rushing
and was in on 10 tackles as a LB

Toss Sweep to Clark

One of Ian Albaeck's six catches
that were good for 117 yards
and two TDs of 52 and 32 yards
  
 TJ Davis attempting to block

I think . . .

Raymond Strizich almost
made this play
  
 FS Logan Popok on the interception

He had two on the day that he returned for a combined 38 yards. 

Would Ruben Soria out run these two
Highlanders to the end zone?

Of course he would, TD Panthers!

"Block that kick, block that kick . . ."

So TJ Davis did.

Calling the Defense today

Because Mike, who is our Defensive Coordinator, was at Jury Duty all week, I was called into emergency service as the interim DC for a game.

The Pit

TD pass, Soria to Albaeck

At the half, it was NP 20 - Royal 13.

Andres Chavarria's 73 yard TD
scamper on the first play of the second half

 Logan Popok's second interception

 Ruben Soria's 58 yard run
to the two yard line

Unfortunately, we would fumble the ball back to Royal on the next play.

CB Ruben Soria on the tackle

More of TJ Davis' wild arm gestures

Cole Peterson on the tackle

Noah Clark controlling the clock
in the fourth quarter 

 Two bald guys

On the season, Ian Albaeck has now
caught 66 passes for 1,198 yards and 10 TDs

 Convoy

I felt a LOT of love on this field!

 Ruben Soria QB Sneak

Rueben is our leading rusher with 597 yards and 12 TDs. He has also passed for 1,528 yards in completing 65% of his passes and connecting on 11 TD passes.

Victory Formation at the Royal
three yard line to end the contest

It was a clean, hard fought game as expected. No sense rubbing it in with an extra score, so we took a knee to end the contest.

 FINAL SCORE

Our 27-13 victory, combined with Camarillo's 56-28 win over Thousand Oaks, means that we sewed up at least a share of the 2015 Camino League title!

With one game remaining in the Camino League season, the standings are:
1. Newbury Park 2-0
2 Tie. Camarillo 1-1 and Thousand Oaks 1-1
4. Royal 0-2

Next Friday's Camino League games are:
Thousand Oaks (4-5, 1-1 CL) at Newbury Park (5-4, 2-0 CL)
Royal (3-6, 0-2 CL) at Camarillo (4-5, 1-1 CL)

Logan Popok earned the Game Hammer
for his defensive efforts

The defense did a splendid job after settling down, holding the Highlanders scoreless over the last 32 minutes of the game.

No need to share things at this stage like a league championship, if you ask me,

BEAT T.O.!!!

Reading Is FUNdamental

One book with two of the
1930's mystery classics

Friday, October 30, 2015

Our First Jack-O-Lantern


On Thursday, Jacob and I dropped by our local Ralph's Supermarket to buy a pumpkin.

After all, it is Jack-O-Lantern season and the two of us had never carved one together.

It was a good sized one but I don't think
Jacob knew what we were about to do

Well that was fun!

Jacob was initially excited until he touched the pumpkin's "guts."  That was not what he expected at all!

He opted to use the ice cream
scoop instead of his hands

Once gutted, it was time to draw the face

Jacob's placement and rendering of the nose was an issue.

Plucking out an eye 

Almost done

Bob the Pumpkin
is ready for Halloween

Today's artistic effort was one of life's simple pleasures to be sure.

Sunday, October 25, 2015

St. Francis H.S., Class of 1965, FIFTY Year Reunion


On Saturday night, Laurie and I drove about an hour south of Camarillo to the quiet city of La Cañada-Flintridge to attend the 50 year reunion of St. Francis H.S.'s Class of 1965.

The reunion was held on campus
as opposed to at a large hotel in Pasadena

I liked this venue to help rekindle old friendships and memories.

Ninety-two Graduates Strong

All boys, all the time, led to some great male bonding.

It was evident that all of us credited the discipline and ethics taught at SFHS all those many years ago as being a central feature of our adult lives.

Bill Wade on the left and
Terry Terrazone on the right

That's Terry's wife Elin conversing with Bill at dinner.

Larry Kolson gave us all a good
retrospective of our years together

His thoughts on the classmates that are no longer with us was especially moving.

Robert Jackson and Eli Fluet

John P. Walsh

I first met J.P. in 1958 as a Sixth Grade student at St. Phillip the Apostle Elementary Schhol in Pasadena, California.

All good people.

St. Francis was a good place
for me during those critical years

I met a lot of good men there, the tales of which are endless.

GOOD TIMES INDEED!!!

Camarillo Pumpkin Patch 2015


On Saturday, it was time for the annual, mandatory and always fun trip with two of our grandkids to the Pumpkin Patch.

I got the highly mobile Jacob . . .

. . . while Laurie guarded much
less mobile Mary 

 KING OF THE HILL, MA!!!

Preaching the Jacob Manifesto
to the masses

Team Contreras had another good day

We have to get to Las Vegas as soon as our JV football season at Newbury Park is finished in two weeks to see grandson Kevin's side of the Contreras Clan.